Oh this book completely captured my heart from the start.
It is an utterly compelling, oftentimes heart-breaking but also uplifting telling of the refugee experience. A tale of belonging, then not belonging and trying to belong once more. The writing is exquisite and the characters were so well drawn that you really feel the emotions along with them. I fell in love with Nuri and Afra (along with the bee, I was hoping with all my heart the bee in the garden he visits each day was going to be okay!) and was championing them every step of the way.
These characters are so strong in the face of adversity and so much happens to them on their journey that it's hard to believe this is not just fiction, but based on real life people that the author met whilst working at borders and helping refugees.
The flashback elements really worked for me, it built up a great picture as we moved forward about what they had experienced and how it had led to where they were.
Loved it, can't wait to read more by this author
It is an utterly compelling, oftentimes heart-breaking but also uplifting telling of the refugee experience. A tale of belonging, then not belonging and trying to belong once more. The writing is exquisite and the characters were so well drawn that you really feel the emotions along with them. I fell in love with Nuri and Afra (along with the bee, I was hoping with all my heart the bee in the garden he visits each day was going to be okay!) and was championing them every step of the way.
These characters are so strong in the face of adversity and so much happens to them on their journey that it's hard to believe this is not just fiction, but based on real life people that the author met whilst working at borders and helping refugees.
The flashback elements really worked for me, it built up a great picture as we moved forward about what they had experienced and how it had led to where they were.
Loved it, can't wait to read more by this author